Thanks for starting this up but I just posted ( before you closed the last Porch volume) and so did Julie I think. Anyone able to move mine over and possibly Julies, please do. I forget how close Julie's was to mine. When I started posting (writing) you had not closed it officially as yet!!

Until then please check the last volume 718 for the last few posts especially.

Jam - Glad that your grandson's foot is OK with no major problem right now. I know it is hard when the kids are super busy and involved in all kinds of sports. Or so was in all kinds of sports from the time he was 6 till H.S. He only got hurt once, thank God, when he stepped in a hole at practice and twisted his ankle. He had to under go whirlpool treatments, etc. for some time. However that was it and I hope your GS is as lucky.

Hope that the Anatabloc will help you again as it did in the past.

Julie - Sorry to say that woman is just thinking about herself and your poor Grandpa puts himself into a tizzy, and gasping for air, he is so worried about her. Not so sure how worried she is about him though. She definately has problems but hope it is not at the expense of Grandpa's health. He has enough problems at his age. Sounds like she doesn't have a lot of common sense trying to put her sandal while standing on one foot with all her problems.

Hope everyone has a nice Father's Day if they still have fathers or grandpa's still around. Ours will be quiet. Not going anywhere tomorrow after church.

Julie - I am giggling thinking about Kiera trying to carry Isaiah around. Can't believe they are almost 2 years old. Keira also probably feels good around them, That way she can be the big boss !! I don't mean she's mean to them at all but she is the little mother. My eldest was that way with her other sibs. Pretty soon he may be carrying her !!

Julie - I am giggling thinking about Kiera trying to carry Isaiah around. Can't believe they are almost 2 years old. Keira also probably feels good around them, That way she can be the big boss !! I don't mean she's mean to them at all but she is the little mother. My eldest was that way with her other sibs. Pretty soon he may be carrying her !!

Sorry about closing the last Porch while y'all were posting. It usually works out that way and that's why I decided to close it at 29.

Julie, thanks for posting Granni's post from the last Porch. I'm laughing at the pic of us hanging upside down. I don't have my long locks anymore but even my short hair would likely stick up like I've been shocked. All this new info on sis's multiple surgeries and injuries shed more light on her dysfunction. Of course, I'm not one to talk, with all my injuries of late but, believe me, I hate it and definitely don't want another surgery. Yikes! I hope you and yours have a happy Fathers Day.

Granni, I'll be 70 next month. I've been on M/C ever since I got my SSD (it took 3 yrs. but I got it in 2003) I have a Medicare replacement advantage plan. I pay no premium but have co-pays which continue to go up each year and they have stopped covering preventive dental cleanings and x-rays. They will cover my MRI but I will have to pay part of it. I hope it won't be too steep. When it's a percentage of a procedure, it is called, co-insurance. Regardless, I want to get it done because it may shed light on what is causing this pain. I'm OK as long as I don't have to walk. Putting weight on the leg is agonizing.

Jam, I hope you get help with your new med. You've been through sooooo much. I'm sure that, like me, you want none of it but have to deal with it anyway. Most of us are like that.

I've just been binge watching "House of Cards," Season 2. I've already seen both seasons but I forget what I've seen and want to watch it again. Netflix puts all the episodes on at once and you can choose to binge or not. I'm bored and the condo is a mess but I have to stay off the leg, at least, for today. I wouldn't have gone out shopping this morning if I didn't have to get that gift and had a coupon. Good news is that after coming home, I put the tens unit on and propped my leg up and rested. I came to bed and fell asleep. The leg feels really good and I can walk a little without pain now. The steroids are kicking in. After my colonoscopy, I can get off the acetaminophen and take ibuprophen, which is better for inflammation.

Happy Fathers Day to everyone. We are all fathers or had fathers or married fathers... To honor Fathers Day is to honor life. My biological father left me and my Mom when I was just an infant. He was never in my life and died of colon cancer. He had another family after he and Mom divorced but he never told his sons they had a half-sister. I have forgiven him and pray for him. If nothing else, he gave me life. I wouldn't be here without him. He's where my colon cancer risk came from. That is why I always get my colonoscopies. Without my ex, I wouldn't have my wonderful kids. So, I honor Fathers Day and wish a good one to everyone.

OK, excuse no. 2. 4 1/2 week ago, I woke with numbness on my right side. I can use my hands and feet, etc. bur the numbness continued. My Dr. said light stroke, and get an MRI. That reported no, I did not have one. Go to a neurologist and they made me an appt. She said that she was certain that it is in my nexk (I have scoliosis ad spinal stenosis in my neck) Go gety an MRI of my neck! Well Medicare had a different thought ----No, you cant have one! I was flabbergasted! Never have I had that happen. I spent the next day on the phone trying to talk to Medicare. I just got the runaround. Now what>?

I finally called my Dr. find out what I was to do. Another answer-----get n MRI. I called Imaging and was told they were checking my insurance. I could have cried---my fingers are numb on the first joint, my feet burn and I keep that shoe off and up when at home, my "bottom" cheek is numb as far as it goes and just plain don't feel good.

Last Mon my Dr. called and said I was approv4ed for an MRI!!!Today when I got up, my right side of my neck aches and is numb. Tha nk goodness. the MRI is Mon. I had to make arrangement for our van to take me. The neurologist had said early on, if the MRI shows thart it is my neck, she will send me to a surgeon.

That is excuse NO. 2! It has been a long time putting up with this and of course, no on here at assisted living just say------that is just part of growing old!!!!!! I will keep you infoprmed and try to get all of there comings and goings of my porch friends

Julie: What does Den say about all his sister does? She's got a real problem.......and I ask you......who was the most absent parent when she/Den were growing up? We're sitting on the sidelines, reading all that you write about her and see things more clearly. A very disfunctional family situation. Of course......I have my own disfuntional situation here, and I've been told MOST families are disfunctional. But it's overlapping into your own family and that's not fair.

And I don't think you've mentioned where you and Amy are taking off for? Good that you two will be able to spend some quality one on one together. I hope you have a wonderful worrifree time.

Mikie: You're just 5 months older than me. When exactly is your July BD?

Joan: I wouldn't be surprised if you've got some spinal stenosis. Hope you're able to finally get an MRI. I've got it along with other "stuff" in my spine, and have learned over the years what I can and cannot do. Exercise is the key for most everything.

I watched my 3 l/2 hr. painting instruction class today. It's been a few years since I paid for these lessons....OMG.......this teacher is sooooo good. I believe at one point there were over 350 students around the world watching him.

I hope everyone has a good Father's Day tomorrow.......those who have someone to celebrate with. My son and DIL will be at my DDs tomorrow......he's been a father for exactly 8 days........so it will be fun to see what he's learned in a week. Don't think I've told everyone the baby's name......Nika.......yes........a little different, and it's been hard for my brain to wrap itself around it. I had to write it down for 3 weeks to look at it all the time!!!!!!!

Julie: sounds like you've got a really nice trip planned. I hope everything works out perfectly for you three....you deserve some well deserved R & R. And I do hope Lyndsey holds off (or should I say the baby) until at least a time in August when everyone is ready.

Yes, I did look up the name and read that it means "belongs to God".......that made me feel better, although my tongue just won't work right yet! My DIL is Vietnamese, so the middle name is way beyond what I'll remember. I'm saving all the photos my DS has sent me and putting them in an album for her.....wrote her full name and the date of birth on the front......I'm terrible about remembering dates. I do remember the date my Mom went home to Heaven, though. July 3......as my aunt said at the time......at least it wasn't July 4 when everyone would be celebrating.

I'm up here at l:30 a.m. We had a terrible infestation of white flies on my large ficus trees outdoors.......5 of them to be exact which help cut the sun coming in the windows, so they're very important not to lose them. I had to spray all of them really hard with water. So of course the sliding doors were all wet and a mess, so of course MOI had to squeege all of them, which has done a terrible # on my neck and back. I don't know what I'll do if the flies come back, I guess spray again and perhaps ask my DH to do the windows and doors. We've used a special insecticide before on our bay tree but I can't do that......the stuff makes me ill.

Julie, thanks for the lovely Fathers Day card. I hope you have a great trip. You need to get away. Yes, GPA my just get fed up finally with sis' antics and decide he likes it better with you. He may be afraid to leave his home, though; God only knows what she does when she's there alone.

Sunflower Girl, My birthday is July 7th. When is yours? I am the epitome of a Cancer except that my rising sign, Leo, makes me a bit more outgoing than the traditional Cancer. Also my moon sign is Aquarius and that gives me a zany twist. Or, quirky, as I told Barb. She gave me a stinky eye and said, "You said it, not me." Well, I wouldn't trade being myself for whatever normal is for anything. I have a rich internal life which is spiritual, humorous, and magical. I'm almost never bored except in times like now when I'm a bit down and out with this sciatic pain. Too much TV and not up to reading. Whine, whine, whine!

Joan, I'm so very sorry for all your pain and numbness and difficulties with M/C. Geez, no one should go through that. I am praying that you find answers and remedies. Please keep us informed. We all care.

I have to call my doc's office and cancel my MRI and PT. Both are located right in his bldg. but neither are in network for my FL BC/BS. He is in network but not his ancillary services. I don't have a script for the MRI so they will have to make the appt. at an in-network facility. There is one just down the road. I do have a script for PT so can go to about the only facility south of town where I live. Mom went there and they seem OK. I may put the PT off for just a bit as this is all getting to be too much. Why not wait until the MRI is done to see what is actually wrong.

I downloaded the UPS label for my knife sanitizer so I can return it to Amazon. They sent me an e-mail to rate the product. Boy did I! The box appeared to have been opened before I got it. Did they send me something they knew was defective? I'm going to take my old one apart to see whether I can fix it. I remember the "good ole days" when there were appliance stores. No one ever threw out a toaster; they took it in to be fixed. Now, we're a disposable society because nothing lasts and there is no one to fix things. Even if there were, it's cheaper to just replace it. On top of that, every company has plans to release their "new and improved" products lined up to release about every six months. Vent, vent, vent!!!

I woke up at 4:00ish and fed Simon. He was waiting for me. My paper had been delivered so I'll be reading it as soon as I finish this. Think today I'll do some laundry and just pick up some clutter that accumulates when I'm too tired or in pain to care. After my Epsom Salt soak last night, I put on a nightgown of the softest cotton knit. Only problem is that I bought it before I lost the weight. It kinda hangs on me. It's usually nice to have something roomy to sleep in but it's low cut and I'm always about to have a neckline malfunction. Same has happened to my bathing suits when I exercise in the pool. At my age, nobody wants to see that!

OMG! They are having a whole morning of Vicenza jewelry on QVC. Used to all be gold but now, they use sterling silver electroplated with gold, platinum, rhodium, white gold, and pink gold. There are some gorgeous pieces but I don't need, nor can afford, more jewelry. There was an incredible piece of HSN the other day which is costume jewelry but made in the same mold as the designer's couture pieces. I would love to have it but at my age, and in my current state of health, I go nowhere to wear it. Again--whine, whine, whine. Ooh, ooh, one of the models just about had a malfunction while modeling the jewelry. Her dress is beautiful but she needs to pull it up; it's strapless. That's what she gets for being so skinny!

We had a HUGE thunderstorm during the night. In my sleep, I could hear the thunder and, even through my closed eyelids, I could see the lightening. I wish these storms would hit earlier in the evening. I love to watch them through my sliding glass doors. We really need to make up for a dry winter which made for good days but dry conditions. Our little pond out back is now up to the water line and is full. I expect the next thunderbluster will fill it past the waterline. It eventually drains into the little creek which runs along the main road. It is so rainy in the summertime that we have to have these retention ponds and creeks in FL to handle runoff. Whenever it rains like that, the bullfrogs croak all night. We must have some on steroids because they sound HUGE. We do have a few poisonous toads with the spots on them. A neighbor's dog got ahold of one and it cost $700 at the vet because the skin of the toad escretes venom. AACK!!! They are gross. When they jump, their big gelatinous bellies smack on the ground. I'm always careful around the dumpsters because that's where they hang out. They seem more afraid of me than I of them but I wouldn't try to come between a HUGE venomous toad and his dinner.

OK, Dear Ones, enjoy this Fathers Day and may you all have a lovely, pain-free day, filled with NRG!

Good afternoon everyone, just ate lunch and DH went to the store to look for a magazine that he might want too start getting a subscription to . I will be a very lazy day for us which is a good thing too, at our age.

Julie -Hope you have wonderful day with the Dad's and Grandpas on their special day. drop by if you get the chance to . I know today will be extremely busy for you.

Mikie - Sorry your sciatica is still bothering you. Glad you are finally catching up on your rain. Those venomous toads sound rather gross. Don't now if I have ever seen one, just the usual frogs I guess. W still need some rain although we have been quite low not to long ago. This is our dry season. Hope for rain but NO hurricanes. The last few years have been so dry and we had to watch for brush fires and we did have one not to far from us to. That is very scary!!!

I know what you mean abut jewelry . So many pieces are so pretty but it is silly to go overboard and keep buying more. Usually don't go that many places we have to dress way up for unless a trip or something,

BTW, wanted to mention that I have spoken to DIANE, via e-mail. I keep forgetting to tell you all. She is doing fairly well but trying to get past sickness, virus for her 2 weeks work or so, maybe more. Then Rosie kitty got sick and got over eating something she shouldn't have eaten. Then she got a scratched cornea and Kevin is sick with a bad cold or something. I think she is trying to play catch up and rest. She is trying to give Rosie all her drops. I cannot imagine trying to give the drops to a kitten. I have enough problems trying to give them to DH who loves to blink, instead of a kitty. She has done a little bit of posting she said on the Homebound board and doing some games. Hope she will feel well enough and has the time soon, to come say hi to us on the Porch, when she feels up to it . Sure miss seeing her around on the Porch but I am happy to know she is doing OK or better than she was. Just keep her in your thoughts and prayers . I know she will appreciate that.

Not to much else is really new. I have to start thinking of dinner. Steak on the grill is al I know for sure.

Hope everyone is having a nice Father's Day celebration who can do so.

Granni - tk u for updating on Diane..i hope you hv a great time with your DS family on Fathers Day and you enjoyed
yr lazy time...

Julie - its wonderful to hear about this Mum Daughter Granddaughter away trip...how i envy you! make
sure you enjoy yourself and not worry about back home, let the boys be for a while, lol! they will appreciate
the ladies all the more when you all get back...haha

Sun - i love the thought of all those trees near your house and those lovely sliding glass doors..here,
it would be a security issue...so most everyone has a brick or grill wall and then sturdy wooden
doors ...boring but necessary..oh, except now for the new housing apartments, yes, those do hv
a lot of glass but then they hv their own security

Mikie - loved reading yr last post..altho i wish you did not hv the sciata...i wish i was like
you and didnot get bored most of thetime...forme, its the othr way around..mostly apathetic,
sometimes interested in life..like you, i love jewellery, and not just for its monetary but
aesthetic value..what beauty can be wrought out of metal, stones, and artistry!

Rock - thats a long long tome to keep up exchanging letters with someone...yr friend
abt whom you wrote...time,not tome, my computer is acting up a nd not moving the
cursor bck..he sounds really nice but i (and i know all of us Porchies) think yr a gem,
the humour and history you bring to the porch...hmmm, i mean your historical
anecdotes and factoids..NOT that youre history, hahahahaha

Jam - my MIL needs a surgery on her knee, she hobbles around but she must hv
heard the horror stories regarding operations...she wont even consider a surgery

well, i might not be much on the porch and write short if i do...i have had to let
go two of my staff..little girl who used to help with dishes and cooking..and the
older man (57) who has been with us for over 25 yrs...paying bills, looking
after collecting r,ents, overseeing repairs etc...after our factory closed
down, he didnt hv much work but DH kept him on, coz he didnt want to leave
and he was kind of a help with running errands, etc but even after i let go
previous help, the man Friday and his wife n two kids..because i lost so
much money and stuff, i again lost silverware which was kind of an heirloom
too, that too AFTeR i had locked my cupboard door, flat door, the main house
door...i mean someone with professional lock picking skills is at work here,
and it couldnt be one person...has to be more than one to warn the other if
im coming...when i told the two that i couldnt keep them on any longer, both
were quiet, instead of outraged protests of innocence...the man asking to stay
three more months s ince his 'wife is ill'. so he will go later. its not just one thing
either, ive lost umpteen clothes, they take the best ones, a nd a whole bag of
extra keys, ear rings...watches) i dont mourn those, had them for long and
used to the hilt, but the sense of as sault on my privacy and safety!!

i feel frustrated coz of my CFS i achieve so less and my DHs other relatives,
my MIL, DHS aunt dont need much help, but this house is huge, its got three
floors, i hv five dogs, a lot of yard space, with trees which shed leaves n all
that...just beyond me...i hv seriously broached the subject of moving, and
praying hard..for the right house..

yesterday, my DHs cousin who is a monk, and lives in india had hosted a function
to celebrate the bringing of a holy relic of Lord Buddhas...he has good relations
with Sri Lanka due to Sri Lanka being a very Buddhist and religious oriented
country...and he actually was able to facilitate the donation of a piece of Lord
Buddhas original ashes...and the Sri lankan delegation consisting of monks
and the Sri Lankan ambassador handed over the ashes (holy relics ) as they
termed it...the relics were entombed in a silver stupa and another very high ranking
religious priests ashes too were handed over...the function was a bit long, the
history of the ashes, how it came to be decided to donate etc was told, and then
we were allowed to line up and pay our respects...with a vegetarian dinner
aftwerwards...it was surreal for me, how many hundreds of years old and that
too, the ashes of our main diety Lord Buddha around whom a whole religion
sprung...i guess the Shroud of Turin would bring out similar feelings in a christian...

well, i was just glad i made it to the function, inspite of all going on at home
at least i didnt hv to make dinner...

now, i better get to work, theres a PILE of laundry to fold, and a dusty house
on top of the normal cooking, cleaning to do...hope my energy lasts me to
achieve at least sone of it....

A quick HI before I leave to join DH in bed to watch TV. Who knows what we will be watching !! More military channels or what??

Hi Spring Water - so glad to hear from you. Sorry to hear that your MIL has a bad knee. It is so hard to decide what to do sometimes. I do know that a few people we know who have had back, hip and or knee surgeries have had different outcomes. Sometimes comes out worse or really doesn't seem to fix the problem or makes it worse. A friend of mine's DH, the last I heard was doing pretty well after his hip replacement ( I think it as hip). Have to check to see how he I doing. Haven't spoke to her in awhile. I know, I hope I never do need a body part (joint, etc.) replacement but it will be a hard decision to take if in bad pain. However, if the surgeries end up being as expensive as I think they might become I might not have to worry about it.

Glad that you clarified that Rock was not history Spring !!! He sure is far from it but surely knows a lot about it.

Julie - That is wonderful that you, Amy and Keira will be going on a little trip together. Yes,I think it does help for others to see how much they do depend on you ! I have to leave notes for DH everywhere if I go away and he doesn't want me to go to far without him anymore. Traveling myself at this stage is not as easy as it once was. Glad DH will be going with me to our Nursing Reunion in October to Las Vegas.

Not to thrilled about the thought of flying much anymore or going to places we had once wanted to go, like the Holy Land or Europe. Glad we did our European trips when things were much safer. Also if you go by yourself and have no one to pick you up at the other end there is the lugging of luggage and finding transportation to your final destination - a lot of pain and trouble.

However, you all should have such fun in the car. You just have to watch for crazy drivers !! I know you have them at home too. Hope you had a great Fathers Day celebration with Den and the Grandpas.

Granni, thanks so much for letting us know how Diane is doing. She is another fan of HSN and every time I watch it, I think of her. Wow! When we have troubles, they come in multiples. I guess our conditions have made us strong so we can deal with them--as in, "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger." Don't know about all y'all, but I'm about as strong as I want to be. Yes, every year, one of our sayings down here is, "Thank God for the rain but NO hurricanes. They've already had three TS's or Hurricanes on the Pacific Coast. They may get more but we are supposed to get fewer. The people I really feel for are the poor living in the Caribbean Islands, like Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Haiti. They get hit by almost every storm which comes across the Atlantic. Their shacks get blown apart even if it's just a TS with high winds, even if it's not a direct hit for them.

When a storm comes across, I pray it doesn't hit us but I also pray for those in harm's way. When Charley hit, it had, for a very short period of time gone from a Cat 2 to a Cat 5 and then dropped to a 3. When it glanced off of Sanibel Island, which is very close to me, it was a 2; it was strong enough to take the gym roof off the high school which is about two blocks away, as the crow flies. It mangled the bleachers in the athletic field as though a giant had scrunched them up, much as we would a piece of paper. After it glanced off Sanibel, it went up the coast and followed the Peace River in Punta Gorda. It destroyed a beautiful neighborhood right on the river where I had clients with beautiful homes. As I was listening to my little radio, I heard about it and was praying for everyone there. I had a neighbor across the street who was sooooo religious that she couldn't carry on a conversation without witnessing for her faith. When I told her I had been praying for those in harm's way, she told me I shouldn't do that. God only wants us watching out for our own selves. What! Isn't the message of all religions to take care of one another? She and her daughter took lunch every week to the homeless with her church so I don't get it. Is her message, "Do good deeds but don't pray for anyone else?" I'll never know but I'll never forget what she said. Heck, in the hood, we all pray for each other. We even have a prayer box, which is really a bird house, into which we can put our prayers, written on tiny pieces of paper. We've had some amazing prayers answered. Well, Granni, I've written you your own "W&P."

Julie, I hope your Fathers Day was good. Heck, they should be honoring you on Fathers Day! Like you, when I'm alone, which is all the time, I eat whatever, whenever. I got an e-mail and, even though the official liquid diet prep doesn't start until tomorrow, the e-mail instructed me to eat soft foods today. I'm supposed to stay away from fibre but I'm having a Nutri Bullet drink for lunch with greens, strawberries and blueberries. According to the Nutri Bullet info, the produce is reduced to a "predigested state." I can't help but think of how the bird parents chew the worms for their little nestlings and then spit it into the babies' mouths. Guess my Nutri Bullet is my electronic mother bird I had cereal for breakfast. I did put milk in my coffee but no more milk products the rest of the day (tomorrow, I'll drink tea). I have some processed sweet potatoes which are like baby food and, if I do want dinner today, I'll have that. Tomorrow is strictly liquid but I have all kinds of things I like so it won't be too bad. I saw pics of my last colonoscopy and my colon was squeaky clean so I must be doing the prep right. I told them I wanted to order a dozen wallet size pics. They probably hear that from every smart ass who passes through (no pun intended).

I'm going to clean things up a bit today just in case something goes wrong during the procedure. It's walking that is the most difficult thing for me. I can move around the condo and pick up the clutter without too much damage. Just read a PH article in my e-mail about the anti-inflammatory effects of tart cherries. I'm sick of taking NSAIDS and looking for foods which naturally reduce inflammation. PH sells the extract so I'm going to order some. It's inflammation which is causing all my pain. Two years ago, before I started the peptide injections, my CRP was very high. When I get my labs done, I have to remember to have the doc run another one.

I voided his Rx for the Clonazepam because he wrote, "for anxiety," on the Rx itself. As he was writing it, he asked if that is what I take it for and I told him that I'm not an anxious person. I didn't look at it at the time because I told him I didn't take it for anxiety. I put the Rx in a letter which explained (as I have before) that I had a sleep study done 14 yrs. ago and it showed slight seizure activity which was keeping me from sleeping. The Klonopin (Clonazepam) was prescribed so I can sleep. He should write, "for sleep," on the Rx. I said I didn't want it on my record that I take it for anxiety because it's simply inaccurate and my records should reflect the truth. This doc's IQ is probably in the genius level but, like many really intelligent people, they listen more to themselves than to the patients. He's the one who had his nurse call me to say I should do aerobics to increase my HDL cholesterol. He seemed not to understand why I told him about my weight loss, getting off carbs and doing my aerobics in the pool. Also, he seemed not to care. Wasn't it in his notes?

This is the exact reason that we have to be soooo involved in our treatment. Every time he writes a scrip for labwork, he asks for urinalysis and occult fecal blood from a stool sample. I refuse it at the lab. I've told him over and over that I have a urologist and an OB/GYN who check for those things. Also, they check for fecal blood before my colonoscopies. I don't know whether it's his own arrogance, even though he is a nice man, or that his mind is always two jumps ahead and he's not looking at the rock on which he's about to stub his toe. I think it's the latter. He has ADD so that may be the problem too. I have ADD too but I'm surrounded by so many people here who have it so bad that they just blurt out every thought, interrupting anyone and everyone. Almost makes me look normal.

I love my friends in the hood but I need to get out, after I take care of my latest health issues, and find some new friends and activities. I was hoping to get back into tennis, my favorite sport, but unless I can get my hip/back fixed, it may be just another thing I have to give up. Maybe a book club. I am so very grateful for my Online Family here. Y'all are good listeners! Speaking of which, I had better get going as this is making "W&P" look like a short story! Yikes!!!

Julie, your last post and Granni's didn't show up when I started my "W&P." I have to start refreshing the page before I post. I love the "Keira-ornery" story. It's one of those things which will become part of the family's private lexicon. Rest up, my friend.

Tried to sign in a few hours ago, but the board's computer wouldn't let me. Life is just
one dam thing after another. And speaking of dams, I was reading about Boulder Dam.
When construction was finished in the mid 1930s, the project was ahead of schedule and
under budget. The Chief Engineer was given a bonus of $350,000. Looked it up on an
inflation chart. The buying power of about 6 million today.

Boulder Dam is near Las Vegas. Between the two is a tiny town named Henderson. When
I was there in 1968 I ran into a guy from my home town. What are the odds of that?

Mikie, this year when you ask for your colonoscopy pics, ask for 8 x 10 glossies. Maybe
the med staff hasn't heard that one.

"Keira-ornery!" reminds me of an old movie from the 1930s. "Dixiana". It was notable
because about a third of it was in color; the rest B & W. All the stars are forgotten now
except for two. Bojangles who danced with Shirley Temple and Max Steiner. It was his
first credit as a film composer. He went on to write hundreds of other scores and won 3
Oscars. Perhaps the most astonishing thing in his career is that he did not win for
Gone With the Wind!

Springwater and Granni. We are all part of history. Two pop songs tell us so. "Class of
57" by the Statler Brothers and "Years May Come, Years May Go" by the Irish Rovers.
Two nostalgic songs you can hear on Youtube.

Spring, I hadn't thought of it before, but yes, I've known my goofy friend since I was a
teen. But we do not correspond regularly. He sends out an Xmas letter every year, and I
respond. Lately, in addition to the pics of his kids and grandkids, he's been including a pic
of his mother who is almost 100.

Did a little work around the place yesterday. Watered some plants. Helped with the
laundry. I can't carry a basket full of clothes anymore, but I can drag one down the
stairs and then push it with my foot to the laundry room aka the back porch. Probably
a good exercise for soccer players.

Jam, thanks for the advice. If the tart cherries don't work, I'll try it. Yes, none of us likely get off Scott free as we age and I'm no exception but this was an injury and I'm walking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. That is not acceptable. There has to be a cause and, at least, something I can do to help. I just posted about the spammers. They are likely in some little internet café in some third-world country spinning their webs just hoping for someone to get caught. It's not the selling I worry about; it's the hacking into members' computers as I doubt these are bona-fide sellers of anything. Their posts are often in another language or in English which makes no sense. That, alone, should send up a red flag.

Rock, I saw a special on the building of Boulder Dam, same for the building of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Twin Towers in NYC. The History Channel has some really interesting episodes for our inquiring minds. If you like old music, PBS is in their fundraising mode again and are running specials on old music and folk music. I went out to water my UFO pepper plant and it has peppers on it. Unfortunately, it also has a white fungus under some of the larger leaves. I cut them all off and sprayed the whole plant with Dawn dishwashing liquid and water. If all the little "balls" evolve into peppers, it should be a good crop.

Talked to DD in CO for about an hour. She will finally get her BS in Nursing in Dec. Whew! It's been a long haul. She has been an RN for quite a while but wants to get her MS. She originally graduated from a good nursing school but needs the official BS to get to the MS. This is not a good summer for me with this injury and my other DD will be coming down with my DGS. Also, they are moving from Atlanta to Dallas. So, I think next summer, DD in Dallas and I will fly to CO and we will all drive to NE to see whether we can find the pic of my Mom at the WWII Cantine which was made famous in Bob Green's book, "Once Upon A Town." There is a museum where all his pics are located and, I think, one can get copies. He didn't put the one with Mom in it in his book but he showed it on PBS when his book came out. Plus, we girls miss seeing each other.

As I mentioned, today is "soft food" day and I just had a Nutriblast for lunch. I actually look forward to tomorrow and my liquid diet. Heck, celebs pay thousands at spas for cleanses. Mine won't be free by the time I pay my co-pay but I look at it as a cleanse with a free colonoscopy thrown in. Not to mention that whatever they use to sedate me is like the best power nap ever. I cleaned my front window and the glass in my storm door. The painter got schmutz on them when he power washed our railings. Geez, it took everything I had to get it off. My steamer won't puff out any of the steam so I guess it's time to run some vinegar through it. We have hard water. Like you said, Rock, I'm sick of stuff which doesn't work. I'm in pain and in no mood for it. I do a little work and then have to turn on the tens unit and ice my butt. I did clean up the kitchen too and all I have to do is remove the clean dishes from the dishwasher. I'll get to the rest tomorrow. "It's only a day away," as the ever optimistic Annie sang.